Improvement in lightning-rods



1. A. KLECKNER.

Lightning-Rnd.

Patented May 4,1875.

Tulum/b1", //jf,

Uivrrnn STATE JOHN A. KLEOKNER, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'IO HIMSELF AND HENRY F. SHOLTY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN LIGHTNING-RODS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,825, dated May 4, 1875; application tiled January 26, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. KLEGKNER, of Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Rods and their Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a t'ull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure l represents, in perspective, the points and upper portion of the rod, together with a portion of theA body or conductor, and a means ot' uniting the sections thereof. Figs. 2, 3, and et represent details ot' the construction of the rod, which will be more particularly referred to hereafter. Fig. 5 represents an end.view of the coupling device shown at Figs. 2 and 3.

Myinvention relates to a lightningrod made tubular or hollow, and ribbed or corrugated to increase the extent otl conductingsurface, both inside and outside ot' the rod, and braced inside for a similar purpose, as also to give iucreased strength, and `furnished with a series ot' points so made as to receive and conduct the fluid partially on the exterior and partially on the interior conduetingsurfaces, and with openings or holes, through which the iiuid may pass trom the exterior to the interior of the rod, and Vice versa, all ot' which will be more particularly described in connection with the drawin The main central point A is made conical and hollow, and tipped with platina a, or other suitable metal. rlhis point has through it a series ot' holes, b, for allowing the iiuid to divide and pass oil' partially on the interior and partially on the exterior surfaces thereof. rlhe point A is connected to the main rod B at e by rivets or otherwise. Around the central point A are arranged a series ot bracepoints, O O, Ste. The tangs d of these bracepoints O are split or divided, one branch extending down outside of the main point A, crossing the joint c, and riveted to both the point A and the main rod B. The other branch ot' the tang passes through an opening', e, in the main point into the interior thereof, so as to divide the fluid over the interior as well as the exterior conducting-surt'aees. The bracepoints D, after being united, as at j', to the outer series C, then extend to and into the main point A, their tangs being divided, as and for the purpose above mentioned, in relation to those d. Openings are made through the main rod at various points or distances throughout its length, so that the tiuid may equalize itself by passing from the exterior to the interior, or vice versa, as the case may be. The ground end ot' the rod is also furnished with holes or openings, so that the fluid may pass therethrough from the interior ot the hollow rod into the earth. The main rod A is best when made ot copper, and to make it light, strong, and inexpensive the copper may be thin, but formed ot' a series ot' spiral raised ribs, g, with plain, or slightlyarched or corrugated, lands 7i between them, and across the interior of the so made hollow rod is a corrugated wall or partition, i', which adds not only to the extent of interior conducting-surface, but materially stren gthens the rod itself. The main rod B, being made of sheet metal, ribbed and corrugated as described, will be in sections, which must be united when the rod is to be put up. To make a convenient and ready splice, I shoulder and recess the adjacent ends ot the sections, as at j, Fig. 4, forming, as it were, alternating tongues and grooves, and these being matched and slipped one into the other, a wire, 7e, is passed through the lapped ends, and brought around the exterior and fastened, as seen in Fig. 4. Such a splice will answer in most cases; but it' the rod be heavy and much exposed, then a sleeve, E, as in Fig. l, maybe iirst passed over this tongue and groove or lapped joint j, and the wire la run through around the joint and sleeve, which will greatly strengthen thesplice. It' it be desirable to connect the point and portion of this special rod to any other kind ot' a lightning rod or conductor, a coupling-pin, as at F, Figs. 2, 3, 5 maybe used, wherein B represents my forni ot' rod, and Gr represents another torin. ot' rod to be united thereto. rIhe coupling-piece F is made in two parts, which screw together, as at m, and it is, moreover, hollow, for a purpose to be hereinafter mentioned. 'lhe rod B is set over a shoulder on the upper end of the coupling, and riveted to it. In the lower end of the coupling` is a nut, a, with openings o around it, which connect with the open space through the coupling, so that a hollow rod, B, may be connected with a solid one, G, and both the exterior and interior condueting-snrfaces of the hollow rod lead onto thc exterior of the solid rod. To unite the two kinds of rods, the coupling F and its connected section and points is screwed onto a screw-shank on the rod G, as seen at Fig'. 3.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is l. In combination with a hollow, ribbed, or corrugated niain rod, the hollow conical main point A, when both the rod and point are pierced to admit the passage of the uid into the interior of the point and rod, as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the hollow and pierced point and rod, the brace-points, with branched tangs, so as to conduct the fluid both onto and into the hollow point or rod, or both, substantially as described.

3. The tongued and grooved joint and wired splice j k, with or without the sleeve E, as and for the purpose described.

4. In combination with the hollow, ribbed, corrugated, and pierced main rod B, the coupling-piece F, for the purpose of joining' said rod B to a solid rod of any kind, as described and represented.

JOHN A. KLEOKNER.

IVitnesses:

S. SLANKER, W. W. CLARK. 

